Wabash College students want to prove it’s all possible. Except it’s not superpowers at work.

It’s science.

“Superheroes have these powers, but they’re not the only ones who have powers,” said physics junior Michael Thompson. “Scientists can show what we can do with our powers of science to improve the world.”

The Society of Physics Students’ annual show tonight at the Crawfordsville college promises Incredible Hulk-like expanding marshmallow Peeps, levitating Iron Man magnets and something called a vortex cannon (it’s said to be supersized this year).

And, OK, it’s not going to show exactly how superpowers work, because much of that is a mystery of Marvel magic.

But these student physicists have their share of tricks — such as obliterating fruit.

“One second the apple is there,” Thompson said. “The next, it’s just gone.”

Aimed at the middle-school child — or the child at heart — the show seeks to bring science to the stage to demonstrate it can be fun and cool.

“That’s the place where most students end up losing interest in science,” said Martin Madsen, associate professor of physics and faculty adviser to the physics student group. “We’re hoping to help keep some of that spark alive.”

It was his own boom! moment in middle school science class that drew Sullivan to physics. Already a lover of Legos and taking things apart, the sparks of exploding molten iron solidified his interest in science.

“I want to see more people study physics because it’s cool,” said Sullivan, 21, a junior. “I don’t think there’s enough people who have an interest in the natural breakdown of the way the world works.”

And if you’re worried about whether Batman’s rocket sled, a laser blasting apart balloons or 20-inch lightning bolts seem safe, just know the adviser says only one injury has been sustained in the seven-year history of this show:

A Wabash official laid down on a bed of nails. Another bed of nails on top sandwiched him in. On top of that went a concrete block, a student swung a sledgehammer to smash the block, and. ...

It’s not what you think. Newton’s First Law of Motion says the concrete block has a lot of inertia, adviser Madsen explained, and it doesn’t want to move. So it breaks apart without exerting downward force.

No, the man was injured when one of the chips of shattered concrete fell on his hand. He walked away with a bruised finger.